Kaveret Messimot

What is messima? Messima means "mission" in Hebrew. In Habonim Dror, we view our volunteer projects as long term missions within Israeli society, working through education to create a just and equal Israeli society. Teaching English is the method we use to connect with Israeli youth and create a fun place for them to be, and to open a conversation about values, their life in Israel, and empowering them to shape Israeli society in the future. We work in partnerships with Hanoar Haoved v'Halomed, our sister movement in Israel, and with different municipalities. Today, we are active in Rehovot, Bat Yam, Yafo, Rishon Letzion, Acco, Haifa, Kfar Manda, Carmiel, Iblin, Deir Al Assad and Sachnin. Although there are some changes from year to year based on demographic changes within the messimot, our projects are ongoing, long-term relationships with the schools and organizations where we are active. The impact of the shnatties and other Habonim Dror chanichim that do messima in these places over the years is truly incredible, and today some of them rely on us to continue their activites. Each messima also has a melaveh (escort/guide) that runs weekly tzevet meetings where the shnatties can process their experience and sharpen their hadracha (leadership) skills. This is an important place for the shnatties to connect their experiences in Israel to their ideological questions, about Israel, being Jewish, and being a leader in Habonim Dror.

Tzevet Haifa 

The shnatties spend the morning and early afternoon at HaTichun HaChevrati (The Social High School), which is a democratic high school near Haifa for students who have had difficulty in other educational settings. They help the students with their English classes and homework as well as run optional programming during class breaks. They help the students with special weekly interest groups (acrobalance, music and art). During the afternoons, the shnatties work in an after-school center with children ages 9-13 where the children receive a healthy meal and participate in group and individual activities. The center is located in the Hadar neighbourhood in Haifa which is a mixed city of Arabs and Jews, giving them a unique opportunity to facilitate different activities for a range of children. 

Tzevet Kiyum Meshutaf “Shared Existence”

The “Shared Existence” messima is a long standing project between Habonim Dror and HaNoar HaOved VeLomed. By learning about each other’s cultures, the shnatties and the Arab youth with whom they meet, create common understandings and shared values. The relationships and understandings promote an idea of shared existence between Jews and Arabs.

The shnatties work three days a week in the morning in different schools in a few different Arab villages. During the day, they assist in public high schools. They run informal English programming during which they are able to explore ideas such as identity, community and leadership during English classes. In the afternoons, this tzevet facilitates group activities in different after-school centers for high school students.

Tzevet Acco 

The tzevet works in a public middle school in Akko during the mornings, working mainly with the Jewish population of Akko. They run informal English lessons and are starting to create a “Music Video” project in which each class will create a music video in English to be shown in an exciting screening event later in the year. In the afternoons, the tzevet works in the Moadon HaOgen, the “Anchor Youth Club” with youth from Grades 7 - 9. The Moadon is supported by the municipality of Acco, and provides a safe space for kids to congregate after school finishes. At the Moadon, the shnatties run different interest groups (sports, art, music) as well as group activities. A big emphasis is placed on the interpersonal relationships created between the madrich (the shnattie) and the chanich. A healthy meal and homework help is also provided. 

Reflections from Ofek

Some thoughts from Harry Brackup, after his experiences on Kibbutz Ravid during Ofek. 

What should habonim dror focus on?

The question that has arose for me since we have been here, and that is weather or not us as a movement we should return to our roots as a labour Zionist movement or carry on with our shift into Israeli society like we are doing. First of all it seems as though labour Zionism should have some sort of definition and that to me is the belief that we should come to Israel and work the land like our Zionist forefathers did before us. The dilemma that arises for me in this question is: what is more important? Labour Zionism possesses a massive importance to our movement as it was the start of our movement in Israel , creating kibbutzim like kfar Blum where it would be habonim drorniks working the land and being self sufficient off the land. This clearly worked at the time, shown by the massive kibbutz movement. Yet as times have gone on the aims and methods of our movement have shifted into modern day Israeli society into the irbutz community's and having an active role in shaping wider Israeli society. In my opinion I feel that returning to our roots possesses a big importance as it seems that all the education on the chalutzim is redundant without actualising on it. However I believe that there is no immediate need for us to act upon our labour Zionism but that there is a massive need for us to aim to shape Israeli society into a fairer more equal society. It seems as if we as a movement have moved into the direction of shaping the society we see has problems. And to me that is where we should stay and if anything have a greater focus on actively changing society in Israel.